Attachments for looms



NOV. 1, 1955 c, A| |X 2,722,241

ATTACHMENTS FOR LOOMS Filed Nov. 20, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IO 1 92 1' 3' I 1 a: -i I i E I i I I i i l l I a l i i i: i AB hc' INVENTOR. ELMER c. Aux

AT TORNRY Nov. 1, 1955 E. c. ALIX 2,722,241

ATTACHMENTS FOR LOOMS Filed Nov. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ELMER c. Aux

ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1955 E. c. ALIX 2,722,241

ATTACHMENTS FOR LOOMS Filed Nov. 20, 1953 S Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ELMER c. Aux

ATTORNEY United States Patent ATTACHMENTS FOR LOOMS Elmer C. Alix, Charlton City, Mass.

. Application November 20, 1953, Serial No. 393,429

6 Claims. (Cl. 139-327) This invention relates to improvements in looms and has particular reference to blanket weaving looms and to a blanket border controlling and measuring device for such looms.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device for use with blanket weaving looms for automatically producing borders and bars of controlled widths and colors in said blankets during the weaving thereof and for measuring and controlling the overall lengths of the woven blankets.

Another object is to provide a device which may be attached to a standard moving part of a loom and having electrically operated means associated therewith for controlling the operative function of other standard parts of the loom whereby blankets of controlled lengths and having borders and bars of controlled Widths and color may be automatically formed.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character with means whereby breaks and possible loss of filling due to said breaks may be compensated for to produce a finished blanket of desired length.

Another object is to provide an attachment embodying means adapted to be connected with the take-up sand roll of a blanket forming loom and further embodying means associated with the vibrator arms of the loom for automatically controlling the length of the weave of the blankets and for simultaneously forming borders and bars of a desired color at controlled locations in the blanket and of controlled widths.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not desire to limit the invention to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, as the preferred forms only have been given by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating a woven blanket in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a part of the device illustrating its cooperative relation with a part of a standard loom;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a face view partially in section of another part of the device embodying the invention and illustrating its cooperative relation with other standard parts of the loom in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the correlated parts of the device and loom parts illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged end view of the take-up 2,722,241 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 sand roll shaft showing a part of a clutch arrangement embodied in the invention;

Fig. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the cooperative relation of the parts of the device embodying the invention; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modification of the invention.

The device embodying the invention is in the form of an attachment to be applied to a conventional automatic loom for weaving blankets.

It comprises a first unit adapted to be interconnected with the take-up sand roll of the loom on which the woven blankets are adapted to be automaticaly wound during the weaving thereof and further embodies electrically operated means adapted to be operatively associated with the vibrator arms which are connected through conventional mechanism with the shuttle boxes of the loom for moving the shuttles into operative position for proper function thereof during the weaving of the blankets.

The first unit is adapted to automatically function as measuring means for the respective blankets and is adapted to function cooperatively with the electrically operated means associated with the vibrator arms for producing borders and/or bars of different color in the blankets.

Referring to the drawings the device of the invention comprises, as stated above, a first unit which embodies a housing 10 suitably supported adjacent one end of the take-up sand roll of the loom. Internally of the housing 10 there is a toothed gear 12 which is connected to the shaft 13 of the take-up sand roll through a suitable clutch arrangement. The clutch arrangement embodies normally related grooves 14 formed in the end of the shaft 13 and which are adapted to receive a pin or projecting portion 15 carried by a sleeve 16 on which the gear 12 is mounted. The sleeve 16 fits over the end of the shaft 13 and is provided with an inwardly extending annular lip 17 and the shaft 13 is provided with an annular sleeve 18 secured to the reduced end of the shaft 13 by a set screw or the like and between which is mounted a coil spring 19 for urging the pin or projecting portion 15 into interlocking relation with a groove 14 thereby causing the gear 12 to rotate when the take-up sand roll 11 is rotated. The gear 12 meshes with a gear 20 rotatably supported in the housing 10 and which, in turn, has a disc 21 mounted to rotate therewith. It is particularly pointed out that the gear 12 and gear 20 are so ratioed as to cause disc 21 to make one complete revolution per length of blanket which is to be taken up by the take-up sand roll and thereby functions as measuring means for controlling the length of blanket which is woven. The disc 21 is provided with adjustable cam members 23 which are attached to the disc 21 by screws 25 which extend through spaced slots 26 and 27 formed in said cam members. The cam members may be placed in any desired spaced relation with each other circumferentially of the disc 21, as will be described more in detail hereinafter. The cam members 23 are adapted to engage a roller 30 which is pivotally attached to a block 29. The block 29 is secured to a spring arm 31 of a switch contact member by a pin, screw or other suitable means 32. The arm 31 carries an electrical contact 33 which is adapted to be forced by a cam member 23 into engagement with a contact 34.

The contact arm 31 is pivotally connected at 35 to an arm 36 secured to the housing 10 by a bolt or the like 37. The bolt is electrically insulated from the housing and has attached thereto an electrical lead 38. The arm 31 is spring actuated on its pivot in a direction away from the contact 34 to normally retain the contact 33 spaced relative to the contact 34. The contact 34 is supported by a resilient arm 39 attached to'the housing by a bolt or the like 40. The bolt 40 is also electrically insulated from the housing 10 and has attached thereto an electrical lead 41. The electrical leads 38 and 41 are connected to a suitable source of electrical energy in a conventional manner and are respectively connected to a solenoid 42, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The solenoid is carried by a support 43 adjustably attached to a bracket 44 of the loom by a bolt or the like 45. The bolt 45 extends through a longitudinal slot 46 in said support 43 to enable adjustment of the bracket. Also attached to the support 43, as by the pivots 47 and 48, is a pair of arms 49 and 50 each having hook-shaped members 51 and 52 carried thereby. The cores 53 and 54 of the solenoid have a pair of angled arms 55 and 56 secured thereto and the said arms 55 and S6 in turn extend through suitable openings formed in the arms 49 and 50 and are adjustably secured therein by set screws or the like 57 and 58. The arms 49 and 50 are normally urged in a direction away from each other about the pivots 48 and 49 by a coil spring 60 attached adjacent the upper opposed ends of said arms as illustrated at 61 and 62.

The hook-shaped ends 51 and 52 of said arms 49 and 50, when the solenoid 42 is energized, are adapted to be drawn inwardly toward each other against the pull of the spring 60 and are adapted to latch with selected vibrator arms 63 and 64 during the conventional operation of the device as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Beneath the vibrator arms there is supported a chain 65 embodying risers 66 and sinkers 67 of the conventional type. This chain is supported by sprockets 68 and 69 which are rotated in the conventional manner during the operation of the loom. This chain is built according to the amount of shuttles which is to be used and, in this particular instance, comprises a total of four. Three of the shuttles carry the filling which is used in forming the main body portion of the blanket and the fourth shuttle carries the filling which is used in forming the border and/or bars of different color at selected locations in the blanket.

The cams 23, as previously stated above, control the position and width of the borders and bars which are to be formed in the blanket and are adjustable by loosening the screws whereby the cams may be moved in a direction circumferentially of the disc 21 by reason of the slots 26 in said cams for controlling the position of the borders and bars and which also permit the cams to be extended outwardly different desired amounts beyond the contour edge of said disc 21 to increase or decrease the length of dwell thereof and closure of the switch contacts 33 and 34 and thereby control the position and width of said borders or bars. When the cams are properly adjusted the screws 25 are again tightened to retain said adjustments.

in Fig. 8 there is shown a modification of cam construction which embodies a pair of cam plates 71 and 72 each having spaced longitudinally disposed slots 73 and 74 therein through which attachment screws 75, 76, and 77 are extended. The screws 75, 76 and 77 are threaded into a plate 78 having a transverse groove 79 therein and through which a pair of spaced screws 80 are threaded into the enlarged head of a support section 81. The support section 81 has a longitudinal slot 84 therein and through which extends a screw 85. The screw 85 is threaded into the disc 21. The lower end of the support section is slotted at- 82 to straddle a screw 83 attached to the disc 21.

With the above arrangement the cam sections 71 and 72 may be adjusted longitudinally relative to each other and relative to the plate 78 by loosening the respective screws 75, 76, and 77 and thereby provide means for varying the length of dwell of the cam produced by said respective cam sections. The slot 79 in the plate 78 provides means .for varying the position of the cam sections circumferentially relative to the disc 21. This is accomplished by loosening the screws 80, moving the plate 78 in a sidewise direction relative to said screws and by again tightening the said screws. The cam sections 71 and 72 may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly with respect to the contour edge of the disc 21 by loosening the screws and 83 and by moving and adjusting the support section 81 radially outwardly or inwardly. The slot 84 in said plate section permits this adjustment and when completed the screws 85 and 83 are again tightened. This arrangement provides various adjustments whereby the positions and widths of the borders and/or bars in the blanket may be readily controlled.

The circuit of the attachment, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7, comprises a step-down transformer 86 connected by the leads 87 and 88 to a suitable source of electrical energy. One lead 41 from the transformer is attached to the bolt 40 of the switch blade 39. The other lead 89 of the transformer is connected with a ground which, in this instance, is the frame of the loom. The lead 38 which is attached to the other switch blade 31 is connected with the solenoid 42 and another lead 90 is attached to the ground or frame of the loom. The loom is designed to operate as many shuttles as desired consistent with the pattern of the weave of the blanket. For ease of description the use of four shuttles has been described, three of which are positioned in the top three shuttle boxes of the loom and the fourth of a different color is in the lower or fourth shuttle box.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The disc 21 which is rotated by the gears 12 and 20 controls the length of the blanket, that is, the length A as shown in Fig. l. The disc 21 makes one complete revolution when the take-up sand roll is rotated an amount sufiicient to take up the length of blanket. The ratio of the respective gears 12 and 20 is predetermined according to the number of picks desired in the blanket and the location of the cams 23 is precontrolled according to the location at which the borders and/or bars are to be formed in the blanket. The dwells of the said earns 23 are controlled according to the widths of borders and/or bars desired. It is pointed out that in this instance only two cams are used and only borders are to be formed adjacent the opposed ends of the blanket.

The shuttle box chain which embodies the risers 66, 66', and sinkers 67 is built according to the number of shuttles employed which, in this instance, comprises three top shuttles, namely, numbered 1, 2, 3, used in forming the main body of the blanket and one bottom shuttle, number 4, used in forming the borders of the blanket. The sinkers 67 and risers 66 are so located on the chain as to function properly with the respective vibrator arms in proper sequence and, in this particular instance, two risers are used for each respective vibrator arm. At the start of the weave of the blanket the chain 65, which is carried by the sprockets 68 and 69 and which is rotated in the conventional manner by the head motion of the loom, is so positioned that the sinkers 67 thereof are beneath the vibrator arms. The said vibrator arms are initially all in down position and the solenoid 42 is deenergized. The number 1 shuttle in the upper shuttle box is now being moved across the lay of the loom and back into said number 1 shuttle box to start the weave of the blanket. During this operation the take-up sand roll is being rotated and, in turn, causes the gear 12 to be simultaneously rotated. The said gear 12, in turn, causes the gear 20 to rotate and the disc 21 carried thereby to also rotate. During this operation the chain 65 is advanced by an amount sulficient to bring the initial risers 66 into engagement with vibrator arm 63 to cause said arm to be raised. This causes the conventional shuttle box mechanism to operate and move number 2 shuttle into operative position whereby the said shuttle will be moved across the lay of the loom and back into its shuttle box. The first cam memberv 23 isso located on the disc21 that as shuttle number 2 is performing its weaving action the said cam 23 is moved into engagement with the roller 30 to cause said roller to close the contacts 33 and 34 of the switch annd thereby energize the solenoid to cause said solenoid to exert a pulling force on the hook arms 49 and 50 to cause them to be moved toward each other against the tension of the spring 60. As the chain advances and the risers 66 are moved out of engagement with the vibrator arm 63 the hook 51, which has been moved beneath the said arm by the solenoid, will cause said arm to remain in elevated position. During this operation the risers 66 will move into engagement with vibrator arm 64 to cause said arm to be raised and to simultaneously bring number 3 shuttle into play. As the chain continues to move, thereby causing the risers 66' to move out of engagement with the vibrator arm 64, the core 53 which is exerting a pulling action on the hook arm 50 will cause the hook 52 to be moved beneath the vibrator arm 64 and will retain said arm in elevated position. This retaining of the elevator arms 63 and 64 in elevated position causes number 4 shuttle to come into play andn continue to be moved across the lay of the loom and back into its shuttle box throughout the dwell of the cam 23 which is retaining the switch contacts 33 and 34 in closed position and the solenoid energized. This cam 23 is such as to control the width D of the border 92, see Fig. l, which is being woven by number 4 shuttle and which has a filling of a different color thereon. Continued rotation of the disc 21 will automatically cause the cam 23 to move out of engagement with the roller 30 thereby allowing the contacts 33 and 34 to become disengaged and simultaneously de-energize the solenoid. This deenergizing of the solenoid allows the spring 60 to come into play to pull the hook-shaped ends 51 and 52 from beneath the vibrator arms 63 and 64 to allow them to drop. At this time the chain is so moved that the sinkers 67 are beneath the arms 63 annd 64 thereby permitting shuttle number 1 to again come into play. Continued movement of the chain will cause the risers 66 and 66 to again engage the respective vibrator arms 63 and 64 to cause the number 2 and 3 shuttles to come into play. This cycle of movement will continue until the next cam 23 engages the roller 30 to again close the switch contacts 33 and 34. This energizes the solenoid whereupon the hook-shaped ends 51 and 52 will be moved beneath the vibrator arms 63 and 64 as they are respectively raised by the risers 66 and 66, and thereby cause the next successive border to be woven throughout the length of dwell of the next cam 23. The major distance between the facing ends of the cams 23, as defined by dash line 93 in Fig. 2, controls the length B of the intermediate portion of the body of the blanket, and the minor distance between the opposed facing ends of the cams, as defined by dash line 94, controls the distance C between the borders 92 adjacent the respective ends of the blankets and it is in between these respective borders that the blankets are subsequently cut for the completion thereof. The widths of the borders may be varied by varying the length of dwell of said cam members 23.

If it is desired to form bars intermediate said borders, as illustrated by the dash lines 100 in Fig. 1, additional cams may be placed on the disc 21 and the width of the bars and positions thereof may be controlled by the length of dwell of said additional cams and the location thereof on said disc 21.

The blankets are in progressive sequence and are only cut to length between the adjacent borders of the respective blankets after the said blankets are woven.

It is to be understood that a different number of shuttles may be used if desired, for example, instead of three top shuttles only two may be used and, of course, the chain would be built accordingly and in the conventional manner. While the blanket is being woven the device measures the blanket in accordance with each cycle of rotation of the disc 21. By changing the ratio of the gears 6 12 and 20 difi'erent lengths of blankets may be produced, that is, the number of picks may be increased or decreased as desired.

If during the weaving of the blanket a break in the cloth should occur, the clutch which connects the gear 12 with the take-up sand roll shaft 13 may be moved out of engagement with said shaft and the gear 20 may be moved an amount sufiicient to cause a repeat weave of an amount to replace the filling which was removed at the location of the break in the blanket. The length of blanket, therefore, may be controlled by proper adjustment of the gear 20 relative to the gear 12 and in consequence the proper adjustment of the disc 21 carried by said gear 20. This moves the cam 23 back an amount suflicient to permit reweaving the blanket an amount suflicient to compensate for the break before the cam 23 engages the roller 30 and moves the switch contacts 33 and 34 into closed relation with each other to energize the solenoid as previously described.

Although one particular type of switch is shown only by way of illustration, it is to be understood that different types of switches such as micro-switches or the like may be used and many other modifications of measuring device may be used.

It is to be understood, of course, that the energizing of the solenoid and the construction of the chain and cycle of operation thereof with respect to said energizing of the solenoid is controlled in order to bring about the above desired results.

As stated above the device while measuring and controlling the overall length of the blanket also controls the position and width of the borders of the blanket or bars of the blanket by properly controlling the position and dwells of the cams relative to the disc 21.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, efiicient, and economical means have been provided for accomplishing all of the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described for use with looms having a conventional take-up sand roll supported on a shaft and conventional vibrator arms comprising a relatively small gear operably associated with the shaft of the take-up sand roll, a relatively large gear meshing with said small gear, a disc mounted on said relatively large gear to rotate therewith, a cam member on said disc, a switch adjacent said disc adapted to be closed by engagement thereof by said cam member, a pair of movable members pivotally supported in adjacent relation with selected vibrator arms of the loom, means for normally retaining said movable members in disengaged relation with said vibrator arms, electro-magnetic means operably connected with said movable members, an electrical circuit connecting said electro-magnetic means with the switch and with a suitable source of electrical energy whereby engagement of the cam member with said switch will close the same and energize the electro-magnetic means, said energizing of said electro-magnetic means causing said movable members to become so associated with said vibrator arms as to hold them in elevated position at a predetermined interval during the operation of the loom.

2. A device of the character described for use with looms having a conventional take-up sand roll supported on a shaft and conventional vibrator arms comprising a relatively small gear operably associated with the shaft of the take-up sand roll, a rotating disc having a gear member attached thereto meshing wtih said small gear, a cam member on said disc, a switch adjacent said disc adapted to be closed by engagement thereof by said cam member, a pair of hook-shaped members pivotally supported in adjacent relation with selected vibrator arms of the loom, means for normally retaining said hook-shaped members in disengaged relation with said vibrator arms, electromagnetic means operably connected with said hookshaped members, an electrical circuit connecting said electro-magnetic means with the switch and with a suitable source of electrical energy whereby engagement of the cam member with said switch will close the same and-energize the electro-magnetic means and cause said hook-shaped members to move beneath said vibrator arms to hold them in elevated position at a predetermined time during the operation of the loom.

3. An attachment for use with looms having a conventional take-up sand roll supported by a shaft and conventional vibrator arms comprising a unit having a pinion gear adapted to be cooperatively associated with the shaft, a gear member rotatably supported in meshing relation with said pinion gear, a disc attached to said gear mem her, a cam member on said disc, a switch adjacent said disc adapted to be closed by engagement thereof by said cam member, a second unit comprising a pair of hookshaped members pivotally supported in adjacent relation with selected vibrator arms of the loom, means for normally retaining said hook-shaped members in disengaged relation with said vibrator arms, electro-magnetic means operably connected with said hook-shaped members and an electrical circuit connecting said electro-magnetic means with said switch and with a suitable source of electrical energy whereby engagement of the cam member with said switch will close the same and energize the -electro-magnetic means, said energizing of said electromagnetic means causing said hook-shaped members to move beneath said vibrator arms to hold them in elevated position subsequent to the raising of said vibrator arms during the conventional operation of the loom and throughout the period the switch is closed.

4. A device of the character described for use with looms having a conventional take-up sand roll supported by a shaft and conventional vibrator arms comprising means having a cam portion cooperatively associated with the shaft to be rotated by the rotation of said shaft, a switch adjacent said means adapted to be engaged by the cam portion to close said switch for a controlled time interval during the rotation of said means, a pair of movable members one adjacent each of selected vibrator arms, electro-magnetic means operably connected with said members and an electrical circuit connecting said electro-magnetic means with the switch and with a suitable source of electrical energy whereby engagement of the cam portion With said switch will close the same and energize the electro-magnetic means, said energizing of said electro-magnetic means causing said movable members to engage said vibrator arms subsequent to their being elevated during the conventional operation of the loom and throughout the period the switch is closed.

5. An attachment for use with a blanket weaving loom for producing borders and bars at selected locations in the blanket, said device having an operable part associated with the shaft of the take-up sand roll of the loom and a part associated with the vibrator arms of the loom which controls the operative function of the shuttles of the loom, said operable part associated with the shaft embodying a pinion gear rotatably connected with the shaft, a disc-like member having a gear portion meshing with said pinion gear to be rotated thereby during the rotation of the take-up sand roll, said disc-like member having cam means thereon, a normally open switch located adjacent said disc-like member and adapted to be engaged by said cam means to close said switch, said operable part associated with the vibrator arms embodying hook-shaped members normally held out of engagement with said vibrator arms, electro-magnetic means connected with said hook-shaped members, circuit means connecting said electro-magnetic means with the switch and with a source of electrical energy for energizing said electro-magnetic means when the switch is closed, said energizing of the electro-magnetic means being adapted to move said hook-shaped members beneath said vibrator arms to retain them in elevated position after said vibrator arms have been moved to said raised position during the conventional operation of the loom, said retaining of said vibrator arms in elevated position being adapted to automatically cause the loom to weave a border or bar in the blanket of a width controlled by the time interval the cam retains said switch closed.

6. A device of the character described for use with looms having conventional mechanism for taking up the cloth when woven and conventional mechanism for controlling the operation of the shuttles during the weaving of said cloth, said device comprising contact means and switch means adapted to be associated with the conventional mechanism for taking up cloth when woven in such manner that one of said means may be rotated relative to the other to open or close said switch means, means embodied in said conventional mechanism for controlling the operation of the shuttles for selectively controlling the operation of certain of said shuttles, clectro-magnetic means operably connected with said last named means for controlling the operation of certain of said shuttles in response to the energizing and de-energizing of the switch, and an electric circuit connecting said electro-magnetic means with the switch and with a suitable source of electrical energy.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 414,523 Goss et a1 Nov. 5, 1889 FOREIGN PATENTS 254,779 Italy Sept. 13, 1927 

